Three of a Perfect Pair cover

Three of a Perfect Pair

Released

The third entry in King Crimson’s early-1980s trilogy and the last album made by the Fripp-Belew-Levin-Bruford configuration feels more willfully opaque than the first two, and more sonically compressed. The title track is a romantic lament, mixed densely and claustrophobically; “Sleepless” feels desperate, while “Industry” is a clattery, grinding tone poem. “Man with an Open Heart” is the closest thing to a pop song here, but it’s a cry of despair. This is objectively excellent music, but not as enjoyable a listen as either Discipline or Beat, the first two albums recorded by this manifestation of the band.

Rick Anderson

Recommended by

Suggestions
Hà Nội Duo cover

Hà Nội Duo

Nguyên Lê, Ngô Hông Quang
Tokyo Adagio cover

Tokyo Adagio

Charlie Haden, Gonzalo Rubalcaba
Séances cover

Séances

Trevor Dunn’s Trio-Convulsant avec Folie à Quatre
We're Only In It For the Money cover

We're Only In It For the Money

The Mothers of Invention, Frank Zappa
Le Vent cover

Le Vent

Patrice Moret, Julian Sartorius, Colin Vallon